New Trier racking up victories — including over defending-champ Loyola — but focus is on postseason readiness

New Trier girls lacrosse’s early-season, comeback win against rival Loyola Academy was something, but it wasn’t everything.

The Trevs and Ramblers have battled for lacrosse supremacy in Illinois for decades now. New Trier snagged a state title in 2019, but Loyola holds the crown now after edging New Trier in sectional play, 13-12, en route to claiming the IHSA’s inaugural state championship in 2021. (No state series was held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.)

So while the regular-season victory was nice, the Trevians are preparing for something bigger.

“We had a great game against Loyola, but they are a different team now, so going to the playoffs it is going to be tough to beat them again,” Trevs coach Pete Collins said. “ … We proved a lot. Our team believes that they can win. But (the Ramblers) are well-coached, disciplined, physical, aggressive … relentless.”

As they develop into the team they want to be, the Trevians have amassed an 11-2 overall record with their only two losses coming to out-of-state opponents during a road trip to Ohio.

New Trier has dominated local competition, downing teams like York, Highland Park and Glenbrook North, while also edging visiting nonlocal squads, like Two Rivers out of Minnesota and Carmel out of Indiana.

A marquee matchup with Hinsdale Central looms Thursday, May 5.

Leading the way for the Trevians are senior captains Brooke Ross and Lily Wallace on the defensive side. The Curry twins — Grace and Emma, both seniors — and Addie Shevitz front-line the attack, while Audrey Rudolph, Kennedy Meier and others support from the midfield.

Collins said his upperclassmen believe in honoring their predecessors and the program. That attitude is passed down the line, leading to a bond and success that persists.

“They did a great job of building on what they’ve learned the past couple years,” he said. “We take a lot from the book ‘Legacy’ … about leaving the jersey in a better place.

“The seniors missed a whole season, so they appreciate playing and know what it takes to work hard, and they know what it takes to put the team first. They play for each other.”

The development all leads to sectional competition and Collins said his team has circled May 27 — the sectional championship bout where the Trevs would play the Ramblers if both teams advance.

Between now and then, Collins said, his team needs to prioritize “the little things” to be prepared for the potential rematch.

“Limiting our mistakes, getting every ground ball … making sure on transitions we’re making smooth connections,” he said, adding the importance of forcing turnovers and disruption on defense.

Tell the Wilmette library how to improve. But hurry, the survey closes on Friday, May 6.

Wilmette community members have until the end of the week to contribute their thoughts on how the Wilmette Public Library is used and what programming and services it should offer.

The library began conducting a public survey in April. Library Director Anthony Auston said the survey will inform the library’s strategic planning process, which will help the library continue its community mission when the pandemic recedes.

As of Tuesday, May 3, the library had received more than 500 survey responses, including many creative suggestions from patrons, Auston said.

Before the pandemic, the WPL building was an activity hub. Besides offering collections services and computer terminals, it hosted speakers and special events, such as flower arranging and regular lecture series, including the popular Armchair Travels. The library also provided a venue for a knitting circle and writing group and many regular activities for youth and children.

The library, like many event venues big and small, pivoted to remote programming shortly after the pandemic began.

“We had to develop so much in March 2020,” Auston said.

The library began services such as parking lot pick up, which allowed patrons to reserve library materials and meet a staff member outside rather than inside the building.

Staff also transferred any programming they could to a virtual setting. Andrea V. Johnson, the library’s youth services manager, said families told her that virtual storytimes got them through the pandemic. Adults also embraced online offerings such as Armchair Travels and film discussions.

Communications and Events Manager Sarah Beth Brown said the web-based events created a sense of community and they are here to stay, even as in-person programs resume. Enjoying events from home is especially important for less-mobile residents, such as senior citizens, she added.

Auston noted that parking lot pick-up has been popular and will also remain as a service.

While many patrons tell the library they are eager to return to in-person events and activities, the transition is taking time. Auston said that events are planned months in advance, and the evoloving nature of the pandemic makes organization difficult.

A jazz concert series scheduled for this summer on the library lawn, for example, had been planned for 2021.

“There’s no one-size solution for this,” Auston said.

The library is especially focused on bringing back in-person children’s and youth services. Outdoor in-person storytimes resumed in summer 2021, said Vaughn. Youth services returned last fall in the library’s auditorium. For the first time since early 2020, the library held an first indoor, in-person storytime on Tuesday, May 3.

The library has offered appointments in its popular Maker Space, where patrons can design 3D prints and make items such as stickers or metal jewelry, since September.

Auston looks forward to reviewing the survey responses and using them to inform the library’s new strategic plan. Libraries, he said, enhance a community by promoting creativity, discovery and the exchange of ideas. He believes WPL will continue to do that both in person and online.

He also noted that WPL is ranked nationally in terms of how often and how much patrons use both the library’s online and print collections.

“Wilmette Public Library has outstanding statistical measures,” he said.

Visit the online calendar to see the library’s current program offerings.

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Still no head coach but on the field New Trier lacrosse is ‘full strength’ in wake of preseason hazing incident

The New Trier boys lacrosse team is two months into its season, and there is still no sign of longtime head coach Tom Herrala.

During an 18-6 victory over visiting Evanston Tuesday, May 3, the Trevians were again led by assistant varsity coaches Jason Schoenwetter, Adam Dickson and Paul Newman as school administration continues to investigate hazing within the lacrosse program stemming from a March 5 incident.

School administrators again declined to comment on the status of Herrala, who has coached within the program for more than 20 years.

The incident in question involved a digital video showing multiple varsity lacrosse players beating a teammate, as first reported by The Record on March 28. New Trier acknowledged the incident in a March 31 email to district families, writing that it placed the team on probation and disciplined multiple individuals for their involvement in the hazing. The district’s message, however, did not provide details on the punishment of individuals, and district administrators declined to answer followup questions from The Record.

In an email exchange with The Record, New Trier Communications Director Niki Dizon said discipline is determined “on a case-by-case basis” and referenced the school’s Extracurricular Code of Conduct, which states that “in most cases” a violation results in suspension from the activity.

In the Trevians first contest of the season, a 10-2 loss to York on April 7 in Elmhurst, they competed without as many as 12 players. Since, the team has played 10 more contests and carries a 9-2 record — its other loss coming to Loyola Academy on April 12.

Outside of injury, New Trier was playing at “full strength” in Tuesday’s victory over rival Evanston, Schoenwetter said.

He added that the team has worked to address and overcome the incident.

“We have been taking everything day by day,” he said. “We’ve been trying to learn and grow as a team, been trying to have open conversations with each other and just take things day by day.”

It remains unclear if Herrala will return to the New Trier lacrosse program this season or ever. School officials have declined to answer repeated questions about Herrala, saying that they do not comment on “personnel matters.”

Herrala has not returned several messages from The Record.

In a previous email to The Record, Dizon wrote that “hazing is absolutely not tolerated at New Trier,” and “our coaches are instructed on our anti-hazing policies, and teams are warned of the consequences of hazing at the beginning of each season.”

The Trevians have collected 13 state championships since 1995 and continue the pursuit of that goal this season. With postseason play beginning May 23, Schoenwetter said his team has no time to waste to put it all together.

“In two weeks, we need to be the team that takes care of every little thing, the little details from practice preparation to game-day preparation,” he said. “Really we need to have perfect practices from here on out.”

The Record is a nonprofit, nonpartisan community newsroom that relies on reader support to fuel its independent local journalism.

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